Mining machine



March 20, 1928.

M, P. HOLMES MINING MACHINE Filed June 11, 1921 w w M w m a M Z 7 w n l $7 W PM 4 f m .W F01 Patented Mar. 20, 1 928.

UN lTED STATES 1,662,824 PATENTIOFFICE.

MORRIS P. HOLMES, OF CLAREMONT, NEW' HAMPSHIREASSIGNOR TO SULLIVAN MACHINERY COMBANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

MINING MACHINE.

Application filed .Tune 11,

This invention relates to mining machines, and especially to mining machines of the type employing a cutter bar provided with an endless cutter chain. r

It has for its principal object to provide an improved mounting for the cutter chain sprocket, the shaft by which said sprocket is carried, and the bearing for said shaft and sprocket, whereby said bearing and shaft will is rendered readily accessible for purposes of adjustment, removal, or repair without removing the machine casing which encloses the mechanism which, in machines of this type, usually weighs several hundred pounds and is therefore difficult to handle, so that it has heretofore usually been necessary to send a machine to the shop'in order to repair or adjust the parts in question. The present invention makes it possible to make such repairs and adjustments in the n i e with a consequent material saving of time, labor, and expense.

The foregoing and other objects of my inf vention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be derstood from the following description of one form or embodiment thereof illus trated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a side elevation, partly broken away and partly in longitudinal vertical section, of a mining machine embodying the invention. v I

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section of the lower part of the rear end of the machine, showing the cutter chain sprocket, the bearing therefor; and the parts adjacent thereto.

The machine shown in'the drawings is of the well known room and pillar type comprising a casing- 10 having at its forward end a rigid cutter bar 11 provided with the usual cutter chain 12, and provided at its rear end with a feed operating member 13 which cooperates with a flexible feeding member (not shown) extending along the mine face. The casing 10 rests upon a shoe 14 (which forms the bottom of said casing and upon which the machine is moved over the mine floor) and encloses a frame 15 which is suitably designed to provide necessary supports for the various parts of the mechanism. Said casing 10 also encloses a motor (not shown) of any suitable type adapted, through suitable connections, to

1921. Serial N0. 476,904.

actuate the cutter chain 12 and feedoperating member 13. In the machine shown said connections include an upright shaft 16 geared to the motor and provided with a pinion 1 7 which meshes with a gear 18 hav-. ing a hub 19 keyed or splined to an upright shaft 2O. The sprocket 21 for actuatingthe cutter chain is rotatably mounted on the hub 19, a suitable bushing 22 being usually inter-' posed between said sprocket and hub, and may be operatively connected therewith or disconnected therefrom by suitable clutch devices including pins 23 carried by a ring 23- )pci.'atively connected with a suitably located' clutch controlling lever. Said clutch controlling lever and the means for connecting thesa'me with the ring 23 are not shown herein as they are well known in the art and form no portion of the present invention."

The shaft 20 is connected with, the feed operating member 13 by suitable gearing ineluding apinion 24 loose on said shaft and adapted to be connected therewith by a suitable fi'iction clutch.- In accordance with a usual construction; said clutch comprises a cup 25 loosely mounted on said shaft and cooperating with the interior friction clutch lIldIlbGIS 26 which are connected by toggle links 27 with a clutch controlling member 28 keyed or splined to the shaft. The clutch controlling member 28 is connected by means (not shown) with aclutch controlling lever 29 operable to release the clutch, and is normally engaged by a spring 30. interposed between a suitable shoulder on-the clutch controlling 'member 28 and a nut 31 in threaded engagement "with the upper end of the shaft 20, the topof the casing '10 be ing usually provided with a suitable opening 32 through which the nut may be engaged to adjust the tension'of the spring.

The parts thus referred to, as to their general organization and arrangement, are well known in theart. As in my prior application for Letters Patent filed Nov. 12, 1917, Ser. No. 201,468, issued June 30, 1925, No. 1,544,066, the-shoe 14 is provided with an opening 33 in axial alinement with the shaft 20 and cutter chainsprocket 21 and normally closed by "a removable shield or cover plate 34 normally secured in place, as

by cap screws35 in threaded engagement with adjacent portions of theframe 15. In

accordance with the present invention, a double thrust, anti-friction bearing is provided for the shaft 20 and cutter chain sprocket 21, the parts being so arranged that removal of the shield 34' permits adjust ment of said hearing or the complete removal of both said bearing and the shaft 20. To these ends, in the embodiment of the invention shown, the following construction is provided.

The shield 34 is formed with a. hollow boss 36 disposed in axial alinement with the shaft 20 and in which is secured, as by a' cap screw 37,a cup 38 which receives the lower end of said shaft. formed at its upper end with a flange or shoulder 39 between which and a shoulder 40 at the upper end of the. boss 36 is received an anti-friction bearing comprising upper and lower ballraces 41 and 42 having interposed balls 43. The hub 19 of the gear 18 is formed with a shoulder 44 which engages the upper ball race 41 and has secollar 50 interposed between said cup and hub.

With the foregoing construction it will be seen that, should the thrust of the shaft 20 or cutter chain sprocket 21 be upward, the lower ball race 42 will be engaged by the shoulder 47 onthe ring 46 and will be rotated with the shaft, hub, and cutter chain sprocket, the upper ball race 41 being seated upon and held stationary by the flange or shoulder 39 on the cup 38. On the other hand, when the thrust of said shaft and sprocket is downward, the shoulder 44 on the hub 19 will engage the upper ball race 41, which thereupon becomes the rotating bearing member, the lower ball race 42 being seated upon and held stationary by the shoulder 40 on the boss 36. It will thus be seenthat the construction provides an efficient 'antifriction bearing adapted to take up the thrust of the parts in either direction.

Should occasion arise to adjust or remove the parts, the machine may be turned upon its side by the use of crowbars or otherwise, and the shield or cover plate 34 removed by removal of the cap screws 35 and 37. Re moval of the shield 34 gives access to the heads of the bolts 45, which may be operated to adjust the hearing, or which may be removed to detach the retaining ring 46, whereupon the cup 38 may be lifted out, bringing with it the ball races 41; and 42 a d ll 4 The cup38 is- It will thus be noted that my improved construction provides means whereby a double thrust anti-friction hearing may he employed for the cutter chain sprocket and associated parts, and whereby said bearing is not only rendered accessible for purposes of adjustment without removing the machine casing, but whereby it may be conveniently removed as a unit bodily from said casing for purposes of renewal or repair. It will also be observed that. removal of said bearing will leave the end of theishaft 20 free, so that, by removal of the friction nut 31 through the opening 32, said shaft 20 may be lifted out through the opening 33. It will further be seen that removal of said shaft will release the parts of the friction clutch normally carried upon the upper end thereof, which will ermit said parts to be adjusted or repaired or in some instances removed through said opening 32. These and other advantages of the invention will,

1. In a mining machine, a machine frame slidable bodily on its bottom during cutting, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, a driving shaft on which said sprocket is mount-ed, a bearing. for said driving shaft preventing lateral displacement thereof, and means including an opening in the bottom of said frame and a removable closure therefor releasably secured to said bearing for enabling removal of said bearing and shaft through the bottom of said frame.

2. In a mining machine, a machine frame slidable' bodily on its bottom during cutting,

-a feed member, a cutter chain driving mem her, a driving shaft on which said last mentioned member is mounted, means including a friction clutch on said shaft for operatively connecting the latter with said feed member, and means including an opening in the bottom of the frame and a removable closure therefor carrying a bearing preventing lat-- eral displacement of said shaft for enabling removal of said shaft through the bottom of the frame.

3. In a mining machine, a machine frame slidable bodily on its bottom during cutting, a feed member. a cutter chain driving member, a driving shaft on which said last mentioned member is mounted, and means including a friction clutch on said shaft for operatively connecting the same with said feed member, a removable nut for retaining said clutch on said shaft, and means including an opening in the bottom of said frame and a removable closure therefor carrying a bearing preventing lateral displacement of said shaft for enabling the removal of said shaft through the bottom of said casing.

4. In a mining machine, a machine frame comprising a bottom portion slidably engageable with the mine bottom, a cutter chain driving member, a double thrust hearing therefor for receiving the axial thrust thereof in opposite directions and interposed between said member and said bottom portion, and means permitting removal of said bearing through the bottom portion of said frame.

5. In a mining machine, a machine casing having a bottom portion slid ably engageable with the mine bottom, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, and a double thrust bearing therefor interposed between said sprocket and said bottom portion and'accessible and removable from said casing without removal of said sprocket.

6. In a mining machine, a machine frame slidable bodily on its bottom during cutting, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, and a dou ble thrust bearing therefor interposed between said sprocket and the bottom of said frame and accessible and removable from said frame from below said sprocket.

7. In a mining machine, a machine casing, a cutter chain driving member, a double thrust bearing therefor, said machine casing having a bottom slidably engageable with the mine bottom and extending beneath said double thrust bearing, and means including an opening in the bottom and a removable closure therefor for enabling access to said bearing to permit removal thereof through the bottom of said casing. V I r 8. In a mining machine, a machine casing, a cutter chain driving member, a driving shaft on which said member is mounted, a double thrust bearing for said member and shaft, said machine casing having a bottom slidablv engageable with the mine bottom and extending beneath said double thrust bearing and shaft,and means including an opening in the bottom and a removable closure therefor for enabling access to said bearing and shaft to permit removal thereof through the bottom of said casing.

9. In a mining machine, a machine casing, a cutter chain driving member, a double thrust bearing therefor, said machine casing having a bottom slidably engageable with the mine bottom and extending beneath said double thrust bearing, and means including an opening through said bottom and a removable shield for enabling access to said bearing to permit removal thereofthrough the bottom of said casing and from below the sprocket;

10. In a' mining machine, a machine casing, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, a driving shaft for the latter, a double thrust bearing for said sprocket and. shaft, and means for enabling removal of said shaft and bearing from below said sprocket.

11. In a mining machine, a machine frame slidable bodily on its bottom during cutting, a cutter chain driving member, a double thrust bearing therefor, and means for enabling access to said bearing to permit removal thereof through the bottom of said frame including an opening in the latter and a removable closure for said. opening.

12. In a mining machine, a machine casing, a shoedisposed beneath the same, a cutter chain drivingmember, said shoe having an opening in axial alinement with said driving member, a removable shield forinormally closing said opening, a double thrust bearing for said driving member, and means connected with said shield, and cooperating therewith for holdingsaid bearing in place, said bearing being removable through the bottom of said casingupon removal of'said shield. I

13. In a mining machine, amachine casing having a bottom supporting surface, a gear having a hub, a cutter chain driving sprocket rotatably mounted on said hub, clutch devices for operatively connecting said sprocket and hub, a double thrust bearing for said hub, and means on both said hub and easing providing opposed shoulders which engage said bearing at opposite sides, said bearing being. removable from said casingthrough the bottom surface thereof upon removal of'said'means;

14. In a mining machine, amachine casing, a shoe disposed beneath the same, a gear.

having a hub, a cutter chain driving sprocket rotatably mounted. on said hub, clutch de- ,vices for operatively connecting said sprocket and hub, said shoe having an opening in axial alinement with said sprocket and hub, a removable shield for normally closing said opening, a double thrustbearing for said hub, and means on both saidhub and shield providing opposed shoulders which engage said bearing at opposite sides.

15. In amining machine, a machine casing having a bottom supporting surface, a

cutter chain driving, member, a double thrust antifrict-ion bearing therefor, and

means including a member forming aportion of said bottom surface and normally rendering the casing bot-tom imperforate for enabling access to said bearing to permit re moval thereof through the bottom of said casing.

' 16. In a mining machine, a machine casing having a bottom supporting surface, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, a driving shaft therefor, and bearingineans comprising a double thrust bearing for said sprocket and shaft surrounding said shaft between its ends and removable bodily from said casing from below said sprocket and through the bottom surface of said casing.

17. In a miningmachine, a machine casing, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, a driving shaft therefor, a shield normally renderingthe casing bottom imperforate, and hearing means between said sprocket and shield including a flanged cup receiving one end of said shaft and a double thrust bearing surrounding said cup.

18. In a mining machine, a machine casing, a cutter chain sprocket thereon, a driving shaft therefor, and bearing means including a flanged cup receiving one end of said shaft, a double thrust bearing surrounding said cup and supporting said sprocket, and means for clamping said bearing relative to said sprocket.

19. In a mining machine, amachine casing, a shoe disposed beneath the same, a cutter chain driving member, said shoe havingan opening in axial alinement with said driving member, a removable shield for normally closing said opening, a separate flanged cup normally detachably connected with said shield and removable through said opening when said shield is removed, and a. bearing for said driving member comprising ball races carried by said cup and removable therewith, the flange on said cup overlying said bearing.

20. In, a mining machine, a machine casing, a shoe disposed beneath the same and provided with an opening, a removable shield for normally closing said opening, a shaft in said casing disposed in axial alinementwith said opening, a gear having a hub mounted on said shaft, a cutter chain sprocket rotatably mounted on said hub, a clutch device for connecting said sprocket and hub, an antifriction bearing supported on said shield,and a ring detachably secured to said huband engaging'said bearing at one side, said hub having a shoulder engaging said bearing at the opposite side.

21. Ina mining machine, a machine cas-- U ing, a shoe disposed beneath the same and provided with an opening, a removable shield for normally closing said opening, a shaft in said casing disposed in axial alinement with said opening, a gear having a hub mounted on said shaft, a cutter chain sprocket rotatably mounted on saidhub, a clutch device for connecting said sprocket and hub, a cup detachably connected with said. shield and in which the end of the said shaft is received,said shaft having a flange interposed between said hub and cup, an antifriction bearing, said cup and shield having opposed shoulders between which said bearing is received, and a ring detachably secured to said hub and engaging said bearing at one side, said hub having a shoulder engaging said hearing at the opposite side.

22. In a mining machine, a machine casing slidable upon. a surface thereof over the mine bottom during cutting, a cutter chain sprocket thereon. a driving shaft, a bearing, and means including a removable shield supporting said bearing against lateral displacement and detachably connected to the latter for enabling removal of said. shaft and bearing through the bottom of said casing without removing said sprocket.

23. In a mining machine, a machine frame having a bottom on which it is slidable over a mine bottom, a cutter chain driving sprocket, a driving member therefor concentric therewith a double thrust bearing for said driving member interposed between said driving member and the bottom of said frame, and means for enabling access there to to permit removal thereof through said bot-tom without removal of said sprocket.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

MORRIS P. HOLMES. 

